For the Record - political news - Brief Article

-- President Clinton, on Irish peace process: "I've spent an enormous amoun unt of time trying to help the people in the land of my forebears, in Northern Ireland, get over 600 years of religious fights. And every time they make an agreement to do it, they're like a couple of drunks walking out of the bar for the last time. When they get to the swinging door, they turn right around and go back in again and say, 'I just can't quite get there.' It's hard to give up these things." . . . White House flack Joe Lockhart, reading statement from Clinton hours later: "I used a metaphor that was inappropriate. . . . I want to express my regret for any of-fense my remarks caused." . . . Auction in Las Vegas will include love note from 15-year-old Bill Clinton to 11-year-old girl: "Dear Debbie, You will always be my best girl. [Signed] Billy Clinton." . . . President Bush, describing the joys of e-mail: "I can use color and different fonts to emphasize different things. And I can forward Monica Lewinsky jokes."

-- Vice President Gore promises to run "a rip-tootin' race for the presiden ency." . . . Gore wins AFL-CIO endorsement, but hires non-union labor to wire new Nashville headquarters. . . . Donna Brazile, fired by Michael Dukakis in 1988 after accusing George Bush of having extramarital affair, becomes Gore campaign manager. . . . Gore, asked by Washington Post whether he will ask for Clinton's support on campaign trail: "I haven't made a decision yet." . . . Gore, on Vietnam War: "Fifty-three thousand Americans lost their lives for what?" . . . Gore, on Korean War: "I wouldn't label it a mistake, but I think that there were decisions during the course of that war that were questionable." . . . Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) surges in New Hampshire polls, also leads members of Congress in Roll Call tally of appearances on Sunday news shows this year with 22. . . . In CNN/USA Today poll, 60 percent say campaign-finance re-form should be either a low priority or not one at all. . . . Elizabeth Dole an-nounces support for denying public services, including education, to illegal immigrants. . . . Steve Forbes urges United Kingdom to quit European Union.

-- Gov. Tom Ridge (R., Pa.) signs death warrant for Mumia Abu-Jamal, convic icted police killer and left-wing martyr, and schedules execution for Dec. 2. . . . Hillary Clinton files "statement of candidacy" for New York Senate race while in Europe. . . . Despite bolting GOP, Rep. Michael Forbes (D., N.Y.) votes in local Republican primary, says Newsday. . . . Democrats will have only five open House seats to defend next year, assuming they retain seat held by late Rep. George Brown (Calif.) in Nov. special election. Republicans currently have 16 open seats. . . . Sen. Tom Harkin (D., Iowa) on proposal to block $25 million funding increase for National Labor Relations Board: "If they are not able to do their job, our whole society breaks down." . . . Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D., N.Y.) in Civilization interview: "I find that true antagonism of a partisan mode is rather less in evidence than it has been in the past. What has happened is a muddle, and a search for authority and legitimacy from outside groups that do not have any commitment to the political process or political parties."

-- School "vouchers were first proposed during the 1950s by economist Milto ton Friedman . . . [who] is best known to the world as the former economics adviser to Augusto Pinochet, the fascist dictator of Chile," says anti-school-choice leaflet distributed to elementary-school children in Michigan. . . . Bureau of Land Management considers reopening Mustang Ranch property, site of Nevada's first legal whorehouse, for wild-horse research center. . . . State Department sells Bermuda consul general's home, considered one of ritziest overseas diplomatic residences, in deal worth up to $13 million. . . . San Francisco considers adding category of overweight people to list of those protected from discrimination. . . . California approves Ronald Reagan license plate, with proceeds going to presidential library. . . . The National Journalism Center is accepting applications for its winter internship program. Contact M. Stanton Evans or Mal Kline at 800 Maryland Ave, N.E., Washington, D.C., 20002, or at (202) 544-1333.

-- British prime minister Tony Blair under pressure from career diplomats n not to endorse Gore for president, according to Financial Times. . . . Iraq agrees to buy satellite intelligence photos from Russian firms to improve missile targeting in neighboring states, reports London Telegraph. . . . North Korean soldiers sighted in Congo, sparking speculation that they are trying to acquire uranium for weapons program. . . . "I was appalled to learn what the Catholic Church was doing, and I would say [Thomas] Cardinal Winning has allowed his religious principles to totally override his common sense," says pro-choice leader Jane Roe (not the original), following news that Catholic Church in Scotland paid 12-year-old not to have abortion. . . . Suicides hitting record levels in Japan, apparently because of poor economy. . . . Geologists identify remains of largest and oldest known crater on earth in South Africa, probably caused by asteroid or comet impact more than 2 billion years ago.